ONCE AGAIN, FLORIDA 7th LARGEST HOST STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS; UF STILL NO. 1, FOLLOWED BY USF

Florida maintains its ranking as seventh in the United States for number of international students (45,718) attending colleges in the 2016-17 academic year. That’s up 5.2 percent from 2015-16. Most are from China (17.5 percent), India (14.3 percent), followed by Venezuela (7.9 percent), Saudi Arabia (4.4 percent) and Brazil (4.1 percent). Florida ranked No. 7 among top host states with California, New York, Texas, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania in the lead.

Once again, University of Florida in Gainesville is not in the top 20 national ranking for number of international students. But it continues to be the leader in the Sunshine State with 7,107 students. University of South Florida (USF) Tampa retains its No. 2 spot at 5,922 students. Florida International University continues in the No. 3 spot with 3,702 students, followed by University of Miami at 3,347 students and Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne with 2,543 students.

According to the Open Doors yearly report, published by the not-for-profit Institute of International Education, the number of international students, at 1,078,822, attending U.S. colleges and universities represent the 11th straight year of record growth. That’s a 3.4 percent increase from 2015-16.

China numbered 350,755, which makes the Asian giant No. 1 in sending students to the U.S. at 32.5 percent. Coming in second at 186,267 students is India (17.3 percent). In South Asia, Nepal sent 11,607 students (increase of 20.1 percent from 2015-16) and Bangladesh dispatched 7,143 students (9.7 percent boost).

The number of Indian students in the U.S. in 2016-17 is up 12 percent compared to the previous year. Majority of the students study at the graduate level (56.3 percent). According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, last year, Indian students in U.S. colleges and universities contributed $6.54 billion to the U.S. economy. India had been the leading place of origin for international students in the U.S. for eight years from 2001/02 through 2008/09. In 2009/10, the rate of growth from India leveled off, and China replaced India as the top sender and remains in that position today. Notable growth occurred in 2000/01 with an increase of 29 percent, followed by several years of strong growth. The number of Indian students in the United States is more than triple what it was 1999/2000. In 2016/17 marked the third year of double-digit growth, but the rate of 12 percent growth was lower than the 25 percent growth in the previous year.

As for students heading to study in India, there was a 5.8 percent decrease. For 2016-17 year, 4,181 U.S. students went to India.

Currently, the leading host institutions for international students are New York University (17,326), University of Southern California (14,327) followed by Columbia University (14,096), Northeastern University in Boston with 13,201 and Arizona State University in Tempe (13,164).

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DR. ZACH ZACHARIAH, JAY PATEL APPOINTED TO GOVERNORS BOARD

Dr. Zach Zachariah

Indian Americans Dr. Zach Zachariah and Jay Patel were recently appointed to the State University System Board of Governors along with Tim Cerio, Ned Lautenbach and Patricia Frost, who was reappointed, by Gov. Rick Scott. The board serves as the governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all public universities in the state.

Dr. Zach Zachariah is a board-certified internal medicine and cardiology physician and serves as the Medical Director of UHealth Cardiology at the University of Miami Health Systems in Fort Lauderdale. Dr. Zachariah has previously been appointed by Gov. Scott to serve on the Board of Medicine. He received his medical degree from the Armed Forces Medical College of Poona, India, completed his internship and residency at St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center, and his fellowship in cardiology at the Cleveland Clinic Educational Foundation. Dr. Zachariah is appointed to fill a vacant seat for a term that ends on Jan. 6, 2019.

Jay Patel

Jay Patel is the chief executive officer of LHS Companies, a real estate development company operating in the Florida Panhandle. Patel has previously been appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees. Patel has received three Honorary Doctorates for his work in education, theology and the hospitality industry. He succeeds Ned Lautenbach and is appointed for a term that ends on Jan. 6, 2019.

This month, spiritual master Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj will offer talks on how meditation can help you live a peaceful and fulfilling life. On Saturday, Dec. 9, he will speak on “Detox your Mind.” Next day, his topic will be “Meditation for Peace and Happiness,” followed by initiation (in-depth instructions for meditation on the inner Light and Sound). Both events are at 2:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Orlando North Hotel – 600 N. Lake Destiny Road, Maitland – at Interstate 4 and Maitland Boulevard (exit 90)

He is the author of numerous books on spirituality and meditation, many of which have been translated into over fifty languages. His recent book “Meditation as Medication for the Soul” is a compilation of chapters from experts in multiple medical disciplines.The meditation practice he teaches on the inner Light and Sound can be practiced by people of all backgrounds, ages, and walks of life.